


A Gentleman’s Lesson

by Jathis



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Genre: Gen, Genderfluid Character, Hurt/Comfort, Nosebleed, Slice of Life, Swordplay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 06:43:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21266744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis
Summary: Stanley needs to learn how to properly use a sword. Cogsworth is the best around.





	A Gentleman’s Lesson

Her child needed lessons and only Cogsworth could give them properly. Madame de Garderobe had pestered Cogsworth for weeks before he finally gave in to her demands. The woman was incredibly stubborn and had even bothered him in his bedroom to get what she wanted.

And so Lefou and Stanley were out in the courtyard with Cogsworth a few days afterwards. Lefou was sitting on a bench to the side, smiling as he served as mostly emotional support for Stanley. He had offered to teach Stanley what he knew but Stanley’s mother had said he would be too lenient on Stanley because of their relationship. Cogsworth would be an impassive teacher.

“I would like to see what you can do,” Cogsworth said, “I need to be able to gauge your level of expertise before I can begin any lessons.”

Stanley nodded, glancing over briefly at Lefou. They looked back at Cogsworth when the older man cleared his throat. “Okay…”

“I am aware that Master Lefou served in the army. This means he has proper training with weapons. You however do not have this kind of training to fall back on. Correct?”

“Oui,” Stanley nodded.

Cogsworth nodded in understanding, drawing his sword. “Very well then. Show me what you can do.”

Stanley drew their sword, bracing themselves. Cogsworth stood in a relaxed pose, waiting for Stanley to make the first move. They ran their tongue over their lips, taking a deep breath before lunging forward, sword drawn back.

Lefou sighed and shook his head as Cogsworth disarmed Stanley with a simple parry and then tripped them and knocked them onto their back. The head of the household stood calmly, tip of his sword at Stanley’s throat. “Oh Stanley…” he whispered.

“I suspected as much,” Cogsworth sighed. He shook his head as he looked down at Stanley. “You’ve got the training of someone who plays at swords more than uses them.”

Stanley blushed, holding still as the sword tip remained. “I was taught by two of our local militia…” they murmured.

Cogsworth looked at Lefou for clarification. “They don’t have military experience,” Lefou confessed. “Gaston and I were the only ones and he mostly focused on swordplay where he always won. He didn’t want anyone else to be better with swords than he was.”

“I see.” He flicked his sword away, helping Stanley back to their feet. “So we shall need to start from the beginning! Go and collect your sword please and we shall begin!”

Stanley nodded and went to get their sword. They picked it up, chewing on their bottom lip. Tom and Dick had always told them that they were one of the most skilled swordsman they had ever seen. But now...Cogsworth made them feel like a child with a wooden sword only playing at swordplay.

The older man simply started his lessons, refusing to dismiss them until it was time for dinner.

***

“I feel like everything I knew was a lie. I can’t believe how useless I am!”

Lefou sighed, focused on wrapping Stanley’s hands. Blisters covered their palms and fingers from a full week of lessons and some of them had started to pop and bleed. “You’re not useless. Using a sword isn’t a simple thing.”

“Tom and Dick..!”

“There’s a difference between swinging a sword around to hit something and actual swordplay,” Lefou gently explained. “Our village never needed any kind of proper military training so the way Tom and Dick fought worked. We’re not close to any place where we would be attacked by a real threat. The wolves were the worst we had.”

“...do you think I’ll be able to do this? Properly?” Stanley asked. 

Lefou smiled, bringing Stanley’s wrapped fingers up to his lips. He tenderly kissed each one, making Stanley blush at the affection. “You’ll be able to do this. I know you can. It’ll get easier once you get calluses to toughen the skin.”

“Merci, mon cher,” Stanley whispered.

***

Cogsworth watched as Stanley fell on their face, blood starting to dribble from a nostril upon impact. He sighed, lowering his sword. “Again,” he said. It had been months since he had started to give Stanley lessons. He was still knocking them to the ground and disarming them but he did note some improvement in Stanley’s posture and sword use.

Stanley stood up, staggering a little before regaining their balance. They straightened their back, holding their sword close to their side.

“Very good,” Cogsworth praised with a small smile. “Never keep your sword extended until you’re ready to use it. Very good.” He watched as Stanley moved to strike from the side, blocking the blow and returning a swing of his own that forced Stanley back.

Lefou watched as Cogsworth knocked Stanley down again. Memories of his own haphazard training as a soldier came back to him and his heart went out to Stanley. None of this was easy but he knew Stanley could do it.

“Again,” Cogsworth commanded. He raised an eyebrow when Stanley did not immediately rise and he approached them, “Stanley? Surely you haven’t given up already. I’ve barely worked up a swe..!”

Stanley whirled around on the ground, kicking Cogsworth’s legs out from under him. They snatched his sword from his loosened hand, panting as they held it over his heart. “So?” they asked, smiling a little as they caught their breath.

The older man chuckled, smiling in approval. “So you have been paying attention,” he said.

They could only laugh, lowering the sword before holding out a bandaged hand to Cogsworth. They helped him onto his feet, giving him back his sword hilt first. Their hair had become a mess, curls unraveled and ponytail coming undone from their ribbon. “Do you really mean that, Monsieur?”

“I do not waste my time with flowery nonsense,” he reminded them. Stanley blushed a little and he chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re doing well. People will mistake you for a properly trained nobleman by the end of this.”

Stanley smiled brightly at this, clearly excited at these words. In a flash Cogsworth suddenly swung at them. They threw their head back, parrying the blow before returning one of his own that could have sliced into the older man’s side if it had connected.

“Very good,” Cogsworth said with a proud smile.


End file.
